On the Good Life Chapter Abstracts for Teachers

Introduction

• The introduction, written by Michael Grant, introduces Cicero's writing along with his historical influences.

• Cicero was an individualist who believed in human rights and that people had a spark of divinity that made them equal to one another.

• Cicero was not dogmatic and resisted dogmatism.
• Cicero wrote in the late 60s, 50s, and 40s B.C. during the late Roman republic before Caesar took power.

• Cicero retired to the country when Caesar took over and took refuge in writing.

• Cicero went through a divorce, fights with friends, and his daughter's death that added to his refuge to the country.
• Cicero's work contains much Greek philosophy.

• Cicero believed strongly that philosophy took away "the load of empty troubles."

• Cicero criticized those Romans that were too Hellenized, although many were interested, it was a superficial interest.
• Cicero was excellent at popularizing ideas and wrote in dialogue form because...